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STORY

For half a century the S-Class has been the technological flagship of Mercedes-Benz, the car in which the brand shows new features first and, by long-standing reputation, "the best car in the world." The name was fixed with the W116 of 1972, which in 1978 became the first production car offered with anti-lock brakes.

Each generation raised the bar. The W126 introduced the driver's airbag in 1981 and the passenger airbag in 1985. The W140 of 1991, famously over-engineered, brought double-glazed windows, later the ESP stability program, and voice control. Safety systems, comfort features and driver assistance that begin in the S-Class later spread across the whole industry.

Statesmen, executives and chauffeurs have made it the default luxury saloon of the world. Whatever Mercedes believes a car can be, it shows first in the S-Class.